Tempest 2000

Jaguar

Review by Keita Iida

Atari

Shoot'em-up

Graphics: 9

Sound: 10

Gameplay: 10

Overall: 10

Often
times, bringing out a good sequel can be one of the most difficult things
to pull of. The task was supposed to be even harder in this case, given
that Dave Theurer's original Tempest was a smash hit in the arcades and is
as loved by classic fans today as it was during its heyday. Remarkably,
however, Jeff Minter has managed to preserve the intensity of the vector
graphics-based original (which is no small task) while adding enough fresh
elements into this version to consider it a complete upgrade.

For those of you who've never had the pleasure of playing Atari's
coin-op classic, I feel sorry for you. The original Tempest was pure
gaming bliss, and can be considered the Pac-Man or Tetris of shooters
because it's one of those games that is so unique and wonderful that
nobody's really tried to emulate it because they know they'd fail. Even
twelve years later, it's just as addicting as ever. In both Tempest and
T2K, you maneuver a claw-shaped ship on the outer edges of a web-like
vortex, trying to shoot down enemies that rise from the core at the other
end. After eliminating all the foes in that have been thrown your way, you
move onto a more challenging stage.

This cartridge features four different play options. Traditional
Tempest is a port - albeit a rather poor one - of the original game.
Tempest Plus adds a few new levels and allows for cooperative play via a
second player or a computer assistant. Tempest Duel is a deathmatch
between two players that utilizes the Tempest 2000 engine. The real star
in this compilation, of course, is Tempest 2000.

Tempest
2000 is far more than merely a graphically enhanced version of Tempest. It
features one hundred different boards, sweet bonus stages, new enemies,
and a slew of new power-ups. The ability to jump is a tremendous add-on,
and the particle blaster and the AI droids that destroy anything that gets
close to you are also nice additions. But the snazziest new feature is
unquestionably the "Melt-O-Vision" effect. It's really
psychedelic something that you've got to see for yourself since it's
difficult to describe in detail.

Up to a point, you can get by with using the same method of play as one
usually does with shooters. That is, by just mindlessly blasting away
everything that comes your way. You'll quickly realize, though, that there
are lots of subtleties in Tempest 2000 that make you think. Even after
you've become good at this game, you MIGHT think all you're doing is
getting by on reaction skills alone, but sharp players will realize that
it's more a matter of human brain power working its magic as you get
"in-the-zone" in an almost zen-like state. Getting into this
hypnotic state is one of the best feelings that you'll ever experience
while playing a videogame! You really won't know why you're kicking ass in
one game and stinking it up in another. But it's such a great adrenaline
rush that you'll want to play "just one more level" so that
you'll get into the groove yet again.

Part of the reason the game gets you some pumped up is due to the
awesome music. Your excitement level will reach a boiling point when your
heart starts pumpin' to the excellent techno soundtrack. And it doesn't
stop there. The sound of the voice samples, explosions, weapon fire and
superzapper are also top notch and draw you into the game like few games
have ever managed to do.

I'll just sum up Tempest 2000 by proclaiming it to be one of the
wildest, thrilling, adrenaline-inducing shooters to come out in a long
time. Only
Robotron: 2084 and the original
Tempest have managed to serve up the same kind of gaming ecstacy as this
masterpiece.